Smouldering Embers
by labgeekluvr
Summary: In the aftermath of Blood Fever, B'lanna learns how the Pan Farr will continue to affect her and debates whether or not to tell Tom
1. Chapter 1

Title: Smouldering Embers

Time: Coincidental and shortly after "Blood Fever" (Star Trek:Voyager)

Rating: T

Disclaimer: None of the characters are mine, all belong to the writers of Star Trek: Voyager

B'lanna collapsed wearily into Tom's arms after her battle with Vorik. Tom wrapped his arms around her protectively, holding her close to him. He was simultaneously relieved and disappointed that the blood fever of the Pan Farr had passed. He had come so close to realizing his long-held dreams of making love to her, only to be interrupted by Vorik, who had come to claim B'lanna as his mate. Vorik had inflicted the Pan Farr on B'lanna in the first place, placing her in danger and changing her into...well, suffice it to say, a B'lanna Tom had never seen before.

Chakotay made contact with Voyager and gave the command to beam all crew members back to the ship. Tom scooped B'lanna up into his arms and prepared to be beamed up. He felt her arms snake around his neck possessively. As he carried her to sickbay, he could feel her softly running her fingers through his hair, her lips and breath hot on his neck. He wondered if a few embers of that blood fever were still smouldering. "Get her to sickbay," he thought to himself. "She is still your friend, and regardless of what was about to happen, it would not be fair to take advantage of her now."

Tom entered sickbay carrying B'lanna and laid her on a biobed. She gently placed her hand on his cheek, caressing it with her thumb. She said nothing, but her eyes spoke volumes–a mixture of passion and confusion and weariness. Tom gently kissed her palm, then quickly took her hand in his, pulling it from his cheek and holding it tenderly as the doctor came in.

"I understand the blood fever has passed," the doctor said cheerfully. "We'll still want to check her vital signs to make sure she's alright. Yours as well, Mr. Paris."

The doctor quickly scanned Tom with his medical reader and gave him a clean bill of health, save for the bite on his cheek, which he quickly and painlessly sutured with a laser. He then scanned B'lanna and found that her chemical imbalance had returned to normal.

"She just needs some rest. I'll keep her here a few hours for observation, then release her to her quarters," the doctor said.

"Thank you, Doctor," Tom said. He took B'lanna's hand again and squeezed it. "You heard the doctor. You get some rest now. You're going to be fine," he said softly. She nodded, her eyes still displaying her complex emotions before she closed them. Tom left sickbay and returned to his quarters, indulging in a cold shower.

B'lanna was back on duty within a few days, and back to her old self. The emotion Tom had seen in her eyes as he left her in sickbay was now gone, or at least well hidden. He had wanted to talk to her about their experience, but wasn't sure that was a good idea. An opportunity presented itself when they were on the elevator together, but his hopes of rekindling any embers that remained smouldering were dashed, at least for the time being. "Be careful what you wish for," was her response.

What Tom didn't realize is that before the doctor released B'lanna from sickbay, he gave her a stern warning.

"You're out of the woods for the moment. But that doesn't mean you're completely cured. In Vulcans the Pan Farr returns once every seven years. You're the first half-Klingon that I've witnessed with this condition. I have no idea yet how this affects Klingons or half-Klingons for that matter. It could come back in seven years, it could come back sooner than that," the doctor said.

"So you're saying it could come back at any time without warning?" B'lanna asked.

"I'm afraid so," the doctor said. "I won't know anything more until I do more research. You're willingness to share your experiences will be of great help to me."

"Of course," B'lanna replied. "I've worked too hard to suppress my more aggressive Klingon nature to have it undermined by a Vulcan disease."

"It's not a disease, it's a normal way of life for them," the doctor replied. "And now it must become a normal way of life for you, I'm afraid. I will do whatever I can to help you through this."

"Thank you, Doctor," B'lanna replied. She turned to leave sickbay, but the doctor stopped her.

"One more thing," the doctor added. "What do you plan to tell Mr. Paris about your situation?"

"I haven't thought about that yet," B'lanna said. "I think for professional reasons discretion is best for the time being. I'm sure at some point I will need to warn him that my condition may change suddenly without warning. But for the time being, the less we talk about it, the better."

"I think it's important to tell him," the doctor replied, "but I will leave that to your discretion. Just remember, you are not the only one that is affected by your condition once it worsens."

"Duly noted," B'lanna said flatly.

Now as she made her way to engineering, her last words to Tom reverberated in her head.

"Be careful what you wish for..." she thought to herself. "Why didn't I tell him then? That would have been the perfect opportunity. But I don't want him to think that I want to continue anything between us. We're friends, colleagues. It would be unprofessional." She glanced up and saw Tom walking down the corridor. Momentarily she returned her focus to her work, but then her sense of duty, and her feelings of respect for Tom got the better of her. "I owe it to him," she thought to herself. "He needs to know." She left engineering and rushed down the corridor, catching up with him. "Tom," she called.

"B'lanna," Tom said, surprised.

"I was wondering if we could grab a drink this evening. There's something I need to talk to you about..."she said.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

Title: Smouldering Embers, chapter 2

B'lanna heard her doorbell chirp, announcing that she had company. "Come in," she called. Tom Paris entered her quarters, carrying a fruit basket.

"I thought I'd bring a peace offering," Tom said sheepishly.

"That wasn't really necessary," B'lanna smiled, taking the basket from him. "But it's lovely just the same. We can enjoy it together with our raktajino."

"Raktajino, how did you know I enjoyed Klingon coffee?" Tom asked.

"Who doesn't enjoy raktajino?" B'lanna smiled again.

"You seem to be in a good mood. You seemed so serious earlier," Tom said.

"Well, I was serious earlier. I still am. There is something very important I need to share with you..." she started, "but that doesn't mean I need to be dour about it," she said, bringing the tray with the raktajino over to the table in front of the sofa. She motioned for Tom to sit down beside her.

"What is it exactly you needed to talk to me about? Are you feeling okay?" Tom asked, concerned.

"I'm fine...at least for now," B'lanna said.

"For now?" Tom asked.

"I had a conversation with the doctor. It appears that my experience with the Pan Farr will not be an isolated one," B'lanna explained.

"So this could happen again. Well, for the Vulcans it's only once every seven years, so you won't have to worry about it for a while. We could find our way back to Earth by then," Tom smiled reassuringly.

"That's just the thing. The doctor has never seen this in a Klingon before. He says it could happen again in seven years, or it could happen sooner. He has no idea when," B'lanna said, her eyes lowered to the floor.

"I see," Tom said softly. "Any chance the doctor will be able to give you a more definite answer? At least some warning?"

"He's doing some research, but that's going to take some time," B'lanna said, taking a sip of her raktajino. Tom took her hand gently in his.

"Anything I can do to help?" he asked, then suddenly he regretted asking that question. "I mean..." he blushed looking at the floor. B'lanna smiled and chuckled softly.

"I know what you mean, Tom," she said, touching his shoulder reassuringly. "I think for right now keeping this as discreet as possible is the best option."

"I totally understand, especially what...almost happened between us," he said, blushing again. "But, I'm concerned about you, and for the safety of our crewmates. Until your condition is more predictable, I think you should at least notify the captain."

"If I do that, she might limit my duties," B'lanna protested.

"Don't you think that would be a responsible thing to do? What if you're beamed down to some planet with Chakotay, or Neelix, or Vorik again, and this...thing happens to you? What if you can't get back to the ship in time?" Tom asked.

"You think that because my last experience with the Pan Farr was with you that you're the only one that I meant to mate with? That's pretty presumptuous of you. Remember, I resisted you once before. It was your idea to make love when we couldn't get back to the ship, before Vorik came back," B'lanna said defiantly, getting up from the couch and moving away from him.

"I did that to save your life," Tom reminded her. "Tuvok said it was necessary. And I didn't take you against your will."

"I didn't say you had," B'lanna said.

"Look, all I'm saying is that the captain at least, if not the other crew members, should know," Tom said. "Maybe she won't limit your duties. She can still put you on an away team, but perhaps she might assign me to go with you."

"Oh, and you'd enjoy that, wouldn't you?" B'lanna asked sarcastically. "I'm beginning to think you're trying to take advantage of my situation."

"B'lanna, I would never try to do that," Tom said emphatically. "Remember, in the mines there was plenty of opportunity for me to do that, but I restrained myself out of respect for you," he said, moving towards her and taking her face in his hands. "I care about you too much to take advantage of you like that. I thought you knew that."

"Take your hands off of me," B'lanna said angrily, raising her hands to move his hands away.

"Wait," Tom said, continuing to touch her face. "B'lanna, you're burning up. Are you feeling alright?"

"What do you care? Do you think I'm going to tell you, now that I know what your intentions are? Get out!" B'lanna shouted, throwing her cup of raktajino at Tom.

"Okay, throwing things is part of the Klingon mating ritual. You're going through the Pan Farr again. I'm calling the doctor and Tuvok. Try to calm down," Tom said reasurringly.

"I won't calm down until you leave! Get out!" B'lanna shouted. Tom ducked another flying coffee cup as he pressed his communicator. "I need the doctor and Tuvok at B'lanna Torres' quarters immediately."

The doctor beamed into the room. "What seems to be the problem?" he asked, as a coffee cup sailed right through him. The door chirped again. Tom gave the command for the door to open.

"I came as soon as I could, what's going on? B'lanna, are you alright?" Tuvok said.

"All of you, get out!" B'lanna shouted.

TBC


End file.
